Theology Major Requirements

In very exciting news, we now offer students a theology major and minor with an emphasis in ministry! Remember, all majors are encouraged to double-major but must complete 34 credit hours (11 courses and a Thesis/Research paper) in Theology, distributed as follows:

One of the following courses (3 credits) may apply as electives toward fulfilling the 34 credits required for the theology major: PHIL 203 Islam: Philosophy and Culture; PHIL 216 Philosophy of God and Religion; PHIL 223 Asian Philosophy; PHIL/GNDR 261 Philosophy and Gender

V. Additional Advising Notes

Students may double up on classes to fulfill the Intercultural requirement. For instance, if students take Theologies of Liberation as their 3 credits in Catholic Social Thought, they may use it also as fulfilling their intercultural component.

9 of the 12 elective credits must be from within the Theology classes. For instance, students may fulfill 3 credits of the Intercultural requirement through Philosophy while receiving elective credit toward their Theology major. If, for instance, a second course is taken outside the major that counts toward the Intercultural requirement, it will count toward that requirement but not toward the Theology elective.

Students must choose upfront whether they will fulfill their "Other Requirements" through either Intercultural Component classes or through LANG. If, for instance, the student chooses LANG, the student will be expected to complete the year of LANG. Same with the intercultural track.

Please also note that the LANG requirement should be fulfilled at the appropriate level. If a student tests out of a first year language, and the student decides to take the language route in Theology, the student must complete the second year of the language.

The best case scenario for students interested in the ministry option is for them to move through the credits by the end of their junior year. They will then be open to paid internships for their senior year.

For majors and minors who primarly plan to work in a different field, say clinical psychology, they can use their internship credits in their primary field toward their theology credits so long as they attach the 1-credit Ministering through Professional Vocation (TH 424) to their internship. We are working with speicific departments to develop this option.

See Department Chair for appropriate course substitutions due to conflict or study abroad.